Olmsted Legacy Task Force Meetings in 2018

FSOP is excited to be partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation on the Olmsted Legacy Task Force. The task force is made up of members of the FSOP board, staff members from several city departments, representatives of community organizations, such as Historic Seattle, Volunteer Park Trust, the Associated Recreation Council, Seattle Youth Soccer Association, and others. The task force will meet monthly during 2018 and the public is encouraged to attend the meetings. The next meeting is scheduled for May 30th at Parks headquarters in Denny Park at 6:30 p.m.

The task force grew out of meetings between Parks and FSOP about how to more proactively rehabilitate and preserve the city’s historic park system. As the task force web page explains, “Park planners across the country recognize Seattle's Olmsted park system as one of the best preserved and best designed in the United States. More importantly, while many eastern cities have only one or two Olmsted-designed parks, Seattle has an extensive multi-park plan linked by boulevards. It is this legacy that makes Seattle one of the most livable spots in the country...The creation of the Olmsted Task Force is a deepening of the relationship between SPR and FSOP for the benefit of the parks in our community.”

The taskforce will focus on developing recommendations to the Superintendent and the Board of Park Commissioners. Some of these include:

• Specific standards of design related to maintaining the character and effect of the Olmsted Parks, such as park furniture, lighting, signage, and landscaping
• Best practices for maintaining our Olmsted parks and boulevards
• Educational programs for informing the public about the Olmsted legacy in Seattle
• Innovative approaches for managing Olmsted parks and boulevards
• How best to export Olmsted design elements to other parks in Seattle; how to improve existing and create new green connections between our parks
• How to prioritize funding for the recommendations above to be considered in the next iteration of the Park District funding package
• Creating a sustainable connection between SPR and the community and to improve on the existing connection between SPR and FSOP